


One Fell Swoop

by Sera_F (TorehZhark)



Series: The Seraph and the Sentinel [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Empath, Fight Scene, M/M, Magic, OC, Redeglia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:02:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27841192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TorehZhark/pseuds/Sera_F
Summary: One of the too-often interactions between kingdom patrols and the sentinels whose lands they trespass. Caides gives no mercy.
Series: The Seraph and the Sentinel [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037721





	One Fell Swoop

**Author's Note:**

> Another practice for writing fight scenes. I forgot how brutal this reads.

A furious knocking at the door broke the silence.

"Are you expecting anyone?" Caides met the door while speaking to Alai.

"They’re back!" The door burst open, a younger-looking sentinel heaving as he forced words out. "The kingdom patrol. I spotted them, entering from the northwest. They’re armed." I could feel the anger rise in Caides, contaminating our bond like blood in water.

"Caides." I put a hand on his shoulder. My mate was seething. His gaze had fallen on the messenger, eyes digging into the poor boy’s face. The younger sentinel shrunk back.

_Don’t take it out on him._

_This is the last straw._ There was a finality to the thought, and Caides sent me an image of what he wanted to do.

"Caides." I repeated his name, but he was already out the door and walking quickly. A quick nod to the messenger, then I followed. If he wanted to mind-touch, so be it. 

"You’re not going alone." I sent Caides a stronger memory, when we had stood against bandits outside of Heiron while last traveling. His anger lessened, bits of warmth and confidence playing at the edges.

"Good." He responded without looking, instead leading me through the clusters of houses to outside the town's reach. We passed Rua and another on patrol. She raised her eyebrows.

"There are kingdom soldiers in the forest. Toreh and I are going to deal with it." Caides didn't break his stride or gauge Rua's reaction. "Go tell the oakstone. Tell them I will send the patrol back."

"Swiftly, Lord Sentinel." I saw Rua stand to attention before she whispered something to the other guard. They ran off behind us while I caught up with Caides. His mind was on the attack, on the deer and bear carcasses discovered in the forest. The last time the forest had met Redeglian cantraps. How they had invaded his home.

"Caides." He took my hand as I drew up alongside my sentinel, finding my fingers to interlace his. He gripped tighter through my gloves as he spoke.

"I need you with me." Fear drifted into his voice and mind. "But I need to do this. For the mountain. For everyone." I prodded his mind, turning his attention to a memory that he was trying to ignore. "For myself," he confessed.

"As the suns rise."

"As the suns rise," he echoed. He looked to me mid-stride; we hadn't stopped our quick pace out of the forest town. Caides opened his mouth to speak, but I reached out to silence it with a peck on the lips.

"Tell me what to do."

He nodded. "When we get there."

Caides took my hand, and a smile crossed his face before he looked forward once more. Our walk became a jog, Caides picking up speed. I tried to focus on my legs, ignoring the ground to let my mate guide us. The jog became a run, then a full-on race, and like the many times before before I shushed the voice inside my head telling me to watch where I was going. Trees whizzed by as we ran, branches tapping our faces and arms as if to lead us on. I heard Caides speak, his words lost to the running wind, and our culminated in a breakneck sprint. My lungs began to burn and I tried to force what air I could into them. Around us the world stretched into color and sound. The birdsong and wind through the trees changed, falling in tone as the trees returned to view, but now ones in a different part of the forest. Their trunks were larger, the undergrowth more sparse. It was easier to run here, wherever we were. As our pace continued to slow I could make out the sounds, woodpeckers and birds calling out baritone songs. Caides brought me back to the quick jog we had started at, and we left the flow.

"They should be up ahead." He pointed past a denser group of trees, growing over a deadfall from long ago. "Getting you up in a tree, how about?" His bright joy glittered in our mental connection, and as he searched the trees for a good spot I watched in his mind the remembering of little Caides climbing trees as a greenheart.

"Here." Caides turned to me, kissing my forehead before unsheathing an axe. Without fear my mate leapt up a nearby tree, using the axe to pull himself up. By the Seven, how sentinels could do with no effort was beyond me. The cuts in the tree were barely noticeable too; I tried to watch as he hacked, pulled, and leapt, but the cuts matched the grooves in the tree’s red-brown bark.

"Tor." Caides' voice floated down as he lowered a rope. Thank Timaeus I wasn't wearing armor. I grabbed onto the knotted end, pulling myself up as best I could. Caides helped too, and as I rose I saw his pack on the rope's other end lowering as counterweight. Soon I was up sitting on the branch with him. Looking into his eyes, I smiled. He grinned, though the happiness faded from his face as current events returned to mind. "Do your best to conceal yourself, okay?" I nodded, and without warning Caides slid down his rope. It ran quickly up the treelimb and down the other side -- it wasn’t tied off to anything.

He was freefalling. I looked down to shout to Caides, but he was already on the forest floor, rolling into the sentinel crouch to break his fall.

 _Every damn time_. I let worry cross our bond before he snuffed it.

 _This is my home. Our home_. We both thought of Caides' cabin to the south of the forest's mountain range. _Our cabin,_ Caides reminded. _I love you_. 

_I love you too._ He sent a mental hug before standing up and putting his things away. I focused my mind as Caides cupped his hands around his mouth.

"Redeglia!" Birds flapped in the distance, a few squawks breaking up birdsong. Even the afternoon breeze quieted from the interruption. The forest became still. I reached out mentally, trying to find the kingdom soldiers. Caides heard them first, alert filling our bond. Then I did too. Carefully, I whispered a prayer to the light, trying not to make too much noise as I lay down enchantments with what mana I could harness. With the soldiers so close, it was easy to tie them into the illusion.

"Hail!" A half dozen soldiers of Redeglia came into view, their purple tabards bearing the kingdom crest atop splintmail. One at the front addressed Caides, a knight dressed more ornately than the others in a jeweled helmet and violet cape. 

"Citizen." His tone was confident, making Caides bristled. "We come to collect the marauders." He brandished his lancer to his soldiers, and the rest of the Redeglian company moved in a half-circle to surround Caides. Fourteen in all. How ironic.

"Do you know who you --"

"I know who you are." The soldier made no attempt to hide his scorn. "This area is Redeglian territory, and by the power vested in me by Queen Anne-Therese I am here to collect the marauders who attacked several military units in this forest." He looked around casually, ignoring the daggers in Caides' gaze. "Piracy in the kingdom is a high crime, and attacking royal military is lesser treason. Any citizens of Redeglia who harbor these criminals will hang with them."

The circle of knights tightened on Caides. He held his ground.

"You stand in the northern reach of Sentinel Mount." My mate stiffened with pride and resolve. "Redeglia has been poaching these trees and slaughtering the wildlife. I have twice now been to Dolmian, and countless more times met with your leaders. And your queen." He pulled a javelin from his quiver to point at the commanding soldier. "You refuse to obey our treaty, the one I and the Oakstone Council drafted. The armistice you asked for." He lowered the spear, and his voice rose to fill the space between trees. "You will leave my home now."

"Queen Anne-Therese and her kingdom supersede whatever ideas you have about these woods." The Redeglian soldier mirrored Caides' gaze. "You will come with us when we leave with the pirates."

"Lifegiver, I will poison not your woods with their hearts." Caides sank into a crouch, one hand on the ground with his feet tensed and ready. The other held his spear, parallel to the earthen ground. A split second later and he bolted, sliding between two kingdom warhorses and disappearing into the trees.

The soldiers reacted all at once, their mounts whinnying in surprise. The commander readied his lancer while three of his men dismounted, swords drawn. "Rally up! He won't get far away!" Their leader pointed the weapon in Caides' direction. "Search for him!"

A voice flitted through the trees, this time from the commander's left. "No need." The Redeglian party wheeled about as a javelin materialized from the woods, shooting through the air to strike the commander’s horse. It let out a pained cry and reared back on two legs, kicking its rider to the dirt and knocking the other mounted soldiers aside. Their leader shouted a command while one of his men moved to pick him up. A wall of knights and shields blocked the left side where the javelin had appeared.

I heard the whistling before I saw it. One behind me, one below me, Caides' axes sailed through the air. Light glinted off of one weapon as it arced in a circle back down to earth, striking the Redeglian soldier and commander to knock the pair on their backs. The group’s leader gave a shout to his men as he struggled to get up, the other soldier lying atop him.

I could see blood pooling around the axe at the man’s neck.

Caides came in from treecover, swooping down from the left with enough force to knock one soldier from his saddle. My mate grabbed the bridle to jocket the horse and right himself. With a slap to the horse’s flank Caides leaned down, my vision catching the flicker of magic as the thrown axe arced a few feet into his waiting hand. The horse took off and Caides, axe in hand, galloped right through the Redeglian troupe. Knights moved to block the steed; I watched as Caides swung left on his saddle and away from me. When the horse turned to flee my sentinel was up on his feet with an axe ready in his left hand.

"You face the Lord Sentinel in his home. May you teach your gods fear!"

One of the mounted soldiers slashed his sword down at Caides. My mate moved like a sapling caught by the wind, spinning on his heel to avoid the attack. He called out as he steadied himself.

"Lifegiver!"

Impossibly fast, green shoots sprouted from the dense soil around Caides. Seedlings became stems became vines, the vegetation growing out of the ground in a large area around Caides and reaching outwards. I heard more cries from the dismounted Redeglian men as tendrils pierced their clothes and armor, grasping at the soldiers like the tight roots of a tree. Horse hooves were caught as well, and several of the mounts fell to the ground taking their riders with them. In all of this Caides was already leaping towards the nearest soldier, hooking his axe on the man’s shield to throw it aside. His free hand went to his belt, and in a flash Caides’ other axe met the man’s throat. Red spilled from the wound as soul left body.

The scene became madness: soldiers hacked at vines and scrambled for their weapons. Horses shrieked in pain, terrified from the forest magic and from broken bones. Caides took the opportunity to fell two more soldiers, the rest gathering around their leader to pull him free and regroup. My mate was confronted now with nearly a dozen swords and shields.

"Kill him!" The commander screamed. His men charged, a few stumbling over the unmoving vines covering the ground. The first attackers to reach Caides met his axes, the metal ringing as weapons clashed and parried. Three, then five, then seven circled the Lord Sentinel for each to attack recklessly. But Caides was everywhere, dodging and weaving in the center as his axes flashed with each swing. They caught and threw what light filtered down through the tree cover. One clang and a sword pierced the ground at his feet; another thwack and an axe broke through a wooden shield to maim the arm behind. As three soldiers rushed him, Caides ducked low to the ground, an axe falling from his grasp before he sprang at one of the unarmed guards. His feet met the man’s shield and an arm the Redeglian’s shoulders. Caides redirected, swinging around the man to kick another soldier in the face. A heave and the unarmed soldier was flipped over Caides' back and upside-down into a tree with a sickening thud. His head was bent at the most unnatural angle, body sliding to the ground with red behind.

One of the soldiers picked up Caides’ dropped axe as the company moved in once again. Another landed a heavy blow, the sword cutting at Caides' leathers. Caides threw his weight at the man, shoving the soldier backwards and his sword to the ground. His gazed landed on the Redeglian holding his axe, sending Caides sinking to his sentinel crouch. The nearest soldier pushed with his shield as others lashed out at Caides, but the sentinel seemed to slide underneath the purple and white-crested barrier to meet its wielder in the middle. A swing and the soldier was missing an arm; another and his neighbor screeched in pain.

"What is he?" one of the men roared, throwing his shield at Caides before bullrushing the sentinel. It knocked Caides back, into the one-armed man and onto the ground. The troops attacked my prone mate, landing a series of hits before Caides sprang up. He shouldered one of the soldiers a soldier to break the circle and roll out of harm's way. The Redeglians fighting him numbered nine now, with five at the front and four shoring up the sides.

I reached out to Caides, brushing against his mind. He was quiet and focused; deeper there was a determination and an anger. I didn't prod more. He stood and sheathed an axe as I returned to my physical sight, drawing a javelin to twirl at his side.

"I first united fourteen tribes." He reared his arm back and threw, one of the soldiers catching it on his shield. The unit advanced, and Caides stepped back in time as he pulled another javelin. "But now we are sixteen." The second javelin flew higher than the first, past several soldiers’ heads to strike the neck of a man on the flank. He fell, and Caides drew another. "Sixteen tribes." His voice lowered to a low warning as he threw a third javelin straight at a Redeglian chestplate. “One wood.” The spear shattered in midair, wooden shards raining down on the knights in purple. More cries as it tore exposed skin and faces; several of the mean knelt down, trying to wipe the splinters away with heavy gauntlets. Caides saw his chance, taking a shield in his free hand as he raced forward. A sword lashed out, only to meet its ally shield now in the hands of the Lord Sentinel. With a twist and quick movement my mate avoided two more short jabs while finding the back of a soldier's calves. Caides pulled before he pounced, finishing two more soldiers before moving to face the group.

Only half of their original fouteen circled Caides now, though no less fearsome. He looked like a wild beast-man, hair and face messy with dirt and blood, more soaked on his clothes and leathers. I realized he wasn't wearing his jacket.

"Be grateful I chose to fight head-on." With a quick sweep Caides threw his axe sideways, two of the soldiers ducking as it spun by. The whistling grew softer then louder, and several of the guards looked behind them to spot the missile. Caides was already rushing one side of the group, shouting as he ran brazenly into swords. Their swings seemed to mean nothing to him -- I didn't dare to check our connection -- Caides ripping a shield from one Redeglian only to beat another over the head with it. The man toppled over just as I heard the whistling loudly return. A cry from the soldiers and most ducked; Caides didn’t even turn to look as the axe flew to him, snatching the weapon out of midair. It was used to bring the end of another soldier. Caides threw that man aside and attacked the next one.

Four Redeglian soldiers fell in the same way as he brutalized each, one by one.

An unharmed knight cursed the world, turning to run towards one of the remaining horses. In one fluid motion Caides pulled a javelin from his quiver with a roar and rolled back into the center of the circle. The spear flew through the air and embedded itself in the soldier’s back. He gurgled and sputtered but managed to stay on his feet for a few last seconds. No one moved, and all became quiet once the Redeglian collapsed to the ground. Caides looked at his last three foes, the wild still swirling in his eyes. One of the soldiers looked to his brother in arms and his superior before throwing his sword and shield to the ground. The second soldier whimpered.

Then more silence.

It seemed like the world moved in slow time: the Redeglian commander turned to the soldier who surrendered, spittle flying as vile words rang out in the forest. His sword threw gleams of sunlight as he struck his own man down, several cuts to the face before striking the neck for a fatal blow.

I couldn't help but feel the absolute horror tighten around the remaining soldier. My emotional sense felt the flare that surrounded him, the hungry, cold fire of terror that held him in a vicegrip. He seemed to terrified to move, but there was a shift as he dropped his shield to the ground in defeat. His commander wheeled about, sword flying through the air, but it was too late; the Redeglian knight had loosened a tie on his armor and chose to fall forward onto his own blade. I watched until his fear sputtered out of existence. Caides caught my sight again when he moved in my periphery -- but the sight of my mate gone mad was too much. I shut my eyes and tried to shroud my mind. I could only conjure up images of violence and pain, rushing to find one untarnished. I managed a piece of a memory: a shield covered in blood. My shield.

When I was able to open my Caides had the Redeglian commander disarmed and on his knees. My sentinel had sheathed his axes, and stood looking down at the last of the knights.

"You deserve more than death." Caides moved his hands around the man’s neck. He took a breath then squeezed, cutting off the commander’s air. The Redeglian didn't respond for a moment, his voice croaking as his mind realized what was happening. His hands flew to Caides' and struggled to push the Lord Sentinel away. He couldn't even gasp for air. Caides only stared on in anger, his eyes dead, hands like stone.

The commander shook, his body convulsing as it failed to take in air. His hands were scratching and clawing at Caides now, trying to find some weakness. Blood filled his face, redder than any normal blush. I could barely make out the color change to purple. His movements slowed.

Unforeseeably Caides let go, allowing the commander to fall on the ground. Blind to the Redeglian now, Caides covered his face with his hands. I had to tighten my mental shields as he cried, his anger mixing with grief. His pain was too overwhelming, and I tightened more. Almost enough to sever our bond, letting only a trickle of his thoughts reach my mind. The Lord Sentinel’s tears became sobs, his voice hoarse as it filled the small arena full of dead bodies.

On the ground, the commander had begun heaving again, his lungs forcing air back into his body. He sputtered a handful of times before rolling onto his side. The man's breathing eventually slowed, though still taking in big gulps of air now and again. By then Caides' grief had quieted, his hands wiping the wet from his eyes as he sniffled. I relaxed my mind to see if I could reach out to him and send my mate comfort.

The Redeglian commander shifted to his stomach and pushed himself upward. Then, all too quick he hurled himself at Caides and pull his adversary down with him. Unprepared my sentinel collapsed on his back. The Redeglian pulled himself to Caide's stomach with one hand as the other went to his belt. Grasping Caides' leathers, he held high a dagger in hand, swinging down to aim at Caide’s throat.

It was met by Caides' hand, crushing the commander’s weak fingers in his grip. The dagger loosened; Caides let go of the commander to reach for the knife. It continued to fall midair between them -- and then I saw only the soldier writhing above Caides. The two wrestled, rolling over so that Caides was on top. A second passed. Then the pair stopped moving.

I held my breath. Dreamily my wits returned to me, and I reached out to sense Caides in our mental connection. Thank the seven.

It wasn't until my mate removed himself from the commander that I saw the dagger buried in its owner's throat.

_I need you._

Without thinking I leapt down from the tree branch. It wasn't but an instant that I realized how many dozens of feet up I was, my speed picking up and the ground rushing to meet me. I nearly yelled at my mistake, though I saw a form flicker from the edge of my view.

Caides came crashing into me; we flew sideways through the air to tumble through the dirt to a stop. I only opened my eyes when the world stopped rushing and spinning. I hurt all over but was thankfully to be still alive. Above, Caides was inspecting me with his deep green eyes, the gold and silver flecks ever present.

"You could have killed yourself!" Caides gripped me tightly and shook me. I said nothing, letting him get some anger out. He buried his face in my chest when he stopped; I wrapped my arms around him.

 _I'm here,_ I told him. I got no response other than the waves of sadness, anger, and shame. Each took turns assailing his mind. 

_You always catch me when I fall._ He moved his gaze up to mine, eyes wet and glittering.

 _When you run_ …

Visions of Caides running through the woods entered my mind, floating to the surface as if on a reflecting pool. I pulled him to me, closing my eyes to force a hard kiss on his lips. My tongue broke into his mouth, and I immediately softened my attack. More images of Caides and I flooded our mental link now, bringing more color back to my mate's thoughts. His tongue followed suit, probing before dancing around around my own. His tears returned: so we kissed until they stopped. When we separated I made sure to wipe his eyes.

"I love you, very much, dear sentinel."

"As sure as the suns." He sniffled. I pulled him back into me, oh so tightly.

 _Are you okay,_ I half-asked. My mind plunged into his, finding some thoughts I expected. Memories of Redeglia’s previous crimes against the sentinels; finding the dead animals with swords still in their warm bodies. Previous battles Caides had fought, many without me during the wars of reunification. Quieter memories peeked out here and there, of the people living on Sentinel Mount and the faces looking at Caides. Some with pride, some with joy, some with awe -- all counting on him. Above all of this, hanging like a cloud, was the sheer violence of the last few minutes, a new memory shrouded in pain and anger. Though I saw myself in many of his memories I said nothing. There was little to do than accompany my mate, offering him energy as his mind shuffled thoughts and categorized feelings. We laid there for at least a quarter hour as he calmed down, and I only let him go when a small mote of warmth entered our link from him. Love.

 _It never ends_. A few war memories steeped in resignation entered our connection.

 _I am here_. It wasn't an answer, but it helped Caides reign in the thoughts that kept coming back.

_I don't want to lose you._

_Not even if the sky falls._ Caides looked to me one last time before we stood up. _Always_.

We gathered ourselves. I brushed some dirt off as I gave my mate a once-over. "I need to deal with these," I ordered, pulling at his leathers to further inspect his wounds. He was looking at the bodies of the Redeglians. His voice was coarse, tired.

"And I them. They cannot poison this forest."

"We can fetch help from Southside," I insisted. It took only another look from me to settle the matter. I had my mate sit on a nearby rock as I pulled herbs, potions, and raw mana to treat his injuries.

 _Always an excuse to get me naked._ His humor returning was a good sign. Chuckling, I leveraged our connection and my divine magic to close up and bandage the worst. He would heal, especially after getting out of these clothes, and getting more help in town.

"Can you run?" 

Caides shook his head. I huffed.

"I'll do it then." I turned my back to Caides, searching the landscape for a moment before choosing a pair of trees. _These will do_. Behind me, my mate clothed himself while I prepared the ritual. Lines of white light began to form between the trees, forming the first circles when I felt Caides behind me. He held me about the waist and leaned into me. His body was warm and comforting, reassuring as I finished the rite's last incantation. Wrought from the ether, a door of stone stood between the two trunks with the seal of the Radiant carved on each.

Caides reached over me to open the door; arm-in-arm we limped through to return to his Southside office.

**Author's Note:**

> Oakstone is a name I stole from Achaea (https://www.achaea.com/). Placeholder for now, will be changed.


End file.
